Isaac c



l. C. POPPER.

FOLDING KNIFE, FORK, AND SPOON.

APPucATloN FILED DEC. 4, 1911.

1,32 1 ,670. Patented Nov. 11, i919.

ISAA C. POPPER, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING KNIFE, FORK, AND SPOON.

Application filed December, 1917.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, IsAAo C. PorrEn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Knives, Forks, and Spoons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in folding knives, forks and spoons all of which are capable of being nested together in the handle of the spoon so that the several articles can be carried as one in compact space.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l, is a view in perspective of the spoon.

Fig. 2, is a section through the latter as well as through the knife and fork as they are nested therein.

Fig. 8, is a view of the knife in its eX- tended position, the fork being indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 4f, is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the parts folded together.

The numeral 1, represents the handle of the spoon, which is preferably stamped out of a piece of sheet metal in the form of an open frame; the numeral 2, is the bowl of the spoon pivotally connected by a pin 3, at one end of the handle and the shank of the bowl is squared as at t, and a blade spring 5, bears against it after the manner of an ordinary knife blade joint with the purpose of the squared shank and spring being to hold the bowl either in its extended intermediate or folded position.

Since the knife and fork are alike eXcept that one has a sharp blade and the other tines, the description of the knife will suffice for both. This comprises a skeleton handle 8 and a blade 9, the shank of which is held pivotally in the end of the handle by a rivet or pin 10.

A locking slide 11, is slidably fitted between the sides of the pivoted ends of the skeleton handle and it slidably embraces the pivoted end of the blade, it being preferably made of a single piece of steel or other metal bent around and fitted to thus slide between and embrace these parts and this sliding lock 1l, is cut away through the major por- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Serial No. 205,340.

tion to fit between the pvoted ends of the handle so that shoulders 13 are formed which constitutes stops to limit the movement of the sliding lock in one direction and the ends of the handle terminate in tongues 14, adapted to be embraced by these shouldered ends of the sliding lock, whereby to hold the blade if it be a knife or tines if it be a fork, rigidly extended when being used as a knife or fork or both.

Consequently in order to fold the blade into the handle the sliding lock is merely slid forward toward the outer end of the blade as far as it will go whereupon the shouldered ends clear the ends of the tines on the inner ends of the handle thus permitting the blade or tines, as the case may be, to be swung around in to the handle after which the locking slide is again slid outl and the blade or tines is thereby locked within the confines of the skeleton handle.

Thus is provided a very simple article, most eflicient in use, which comprises just three parts and a pivot, and, therefore, is easily and quickly manufactured at a cornparatively small initial cost, while above all, presenting an article which is most eiective in the performance of its intended functions.

The knife and fork when folded are of a size to lit and slide into the hollow handle of the spoon as shown in Fig. 2, the parts being so fitted and dimensioned as to fit snugly together by frictional Contact and the inturned lips 15, on the edge of the spoon handle are disposed and in position to embrace and assist in holding the several parts together. When thus together the spoon is adapted to be folded over the knife and fork when the article can be easily incased and a pocket formed for it and carried in the owners pocket or in any convenient place.

It will also be observed that the knife and fork could be pulled apart, away out in order to lengthen the handle of the spoon, if desired. In this way too it reduces the conductivity of heat when the spoon is bein g used to stir or serve hot liquid.

I claim:

The combination with a hollow handle open at its top and rear, and provided along its upper edges Vwith l inwardly-extending lips, e spoonpvoted tt one end of seid hollowV handl'e and a knife and fork each comprising a skeleton handle and e knife or `5 fork member foldably pivoted thereto, said knife and fork adapted t0 be slidably and detaehebly received within said' hollow handle and held therein by said lips, whereby said parts may be nested and the handle of the spoon may be lengthened or shortened 10 by Sliding the knife and fork out 0r in.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ISSAC C. POPPER.

`Copies ,of thspatentmay be obtainedfor ve cents each,.by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

